With two outs in the fourth inning on Sunday, Maryland infielder Skylynne Ellazar finally got to Iowa starter Allison Doocy, hitting a solo home run over the scoreboard in right-center field. It was just the second hit Doocy allowed and the only run in the Terps’ 1-0 win over the Hawkeyes.

“Today was just about making adjustments to her,” Ellazar said. “We knew we were going to see her in game three so I went home, watched some film and tried to make adjustments to her.”

Behind an improved defensive effort, Maryland starter Sydney Golden outdueled Doocy. Her complete game shutout included three strikeouts and no walks.

“She just wears teams out,” coach Julie Wright said. “She uses her defense really well and I’m very proud of her. She’s got a great even demeanor out there.”

In the second inning, Iowa loaded the bases with one out. Golden escaped the jam by forcing a 5-2-3 double play on a chopper to infielder Brigette Nordberg at third.

“We started off rough defensively this season,” Wright said. “We’ve been working hard on fundamentals and positioning ourselves better.”

“We just need to have energy and back up our pitchers,” Ellazar added. “We’ve been having really intense, pressured practices so that’s helping us translate that onto the field.”

Iowa threatened to tie the game in the seventh. With two outs, designated player Taylor Libby smoked a double into the gap in right-center field. But Golden induced a groundout from the next batter to end the game.

The win marked Golden’s second shutout of the season and her first that went the full seven innings (her first was a run-rule victory over Penn State). Maryland (15-20, 5-1 Big Ten) has three shutouts this year.

Much like Maryland’s extra-inning win over the Hawkeyes on Friday, pitching dominated, both teams played solid defense and each lost runners on the basepaths in key moments. Both of the pitchers’ duels moved at a lightning-quick pace, with each game getting to the sixth inning in under an hour.

The win sealed the Terps’ first series sweep since April 2015 against Penn State. Maryland’s five-game win streak ties its longest since joining the Big Ten.

“We’re playing with high energy and using the little intangibles that add up to a really good team,” Wright said.